As one of the most popular anime, My Hero Academia has engaged the imagination of worldwide fans, who were inspired to create derivative works of their own, cosplay characters, or even write music. With a series that has fans so passionate, it stands to reason that countless conspiracy theories have emerged, particularly involving the most mysterious villains of the series.
One of the most notable ones remains related to the villain Dabi’s true parentage, as he was correctly guessed to be Endeavor’s son, Toya Todoroki. But perhaps even more popular is the idea that the protagonist, Izuku Midoriya, is the son of the main villain, All for One. While this may seem like a stretch for some fans, especially since Deku’s father is named in the series. However, many facts suggest that All for One may truly be Deku’s dad.
Updated on September 10th, 2024 by Christy Mathew: While My Hero Academia remains a beloved anime, Deku’s father still has yet to make an appearance. Thus, fans still speculate that Deku’s dad could be a character on the show and potentially it is All for One himself. This article has been updated to add more things that inclined towards the theory of Midoriya’s parentage and it has been updated to fit CBR’s current formatting guidelines.
14 All for One Might Have Hisashi Midoriya’s Fire Breath
He Used His Fingers to Use A Fire-Related Quirk
From the very first episode of the anime, viewers learn Izuku’s mother, Inko Midoriya, is raising him alone. His father, Hisashi Midoriya, is working abroad in the United States, and according to Inko, he has an unnamed Fire Breath Quirk. Not much else is known about the character beyond that. All for One could easily have a Fire Breath Quirk in his arsenal, which he could have used to fool Inko into believing he was just a regular person.
All for One is known for holding various Quirks in his arsenal. In Chapter 353, All for One used multiple quirks with his fingers, one of which could be fire-related, leading to a more solid theory about him possibly being Deku’s dad. If Hisashi is actually All for One, this could create a complicated storyline about good versus evil within family dynamics. As the story progresses, this theory might either be confirmed or denied by My Hero Academia.
13 Hisashi’s Mystery Could Lead to Potential Revelations
Deku’s Dad’s Unknown Presence Might Become a Future Plot Point
The mystery surrounding the lack of visual cues of Midoriya’s dad, Hisashi, might be a plot point to be revealed later in My Hero Academia. Despite being “alive”, Hisashi never appeared, even when his son was accepted into the U.A. School and became a pro-hero. He is also never shown in any flashbacks or memories of Midoriya. Izuku’s mother, Inko, raised him all by herself, which leads to speculation as to why his father hasn’t been around for him.
My Hero Academia does focus on familial storylines time and again with Shoto Todoroki and Tomura Shigaraki, showcasing their complicated familial bonds. Hisashi’s mystery could be a parallel story that they want to create between Midoriya’s journey and his friends’ journeys. This theory suggests that Hisashi’s character being hidden in mystery could serve as a potential plot point and could be a turning point for Izuku.
12 Deku’s Dad’s Suspicious Timing When All Might Injured All for One
Hisashi Conveniently Was Transferred to USA for His Job
Hisashi’s job transfer to America is never fully explained. This can easily be for a myriad of reasons, as it’s not out of the question that his father may have actually abandoned Izuku and Inko due to Izuku’s quirklessness. However, the theory of the connection between Izuku and All for One would explain this absence differently. Hisashi’s departure could have coincided with All Might’s battle with All for One. He became conveniently away from his family during the exact time that the most important war between All for One and All Might became more probable.
During the fight, All Might is seriously injured and loses half his respiratory organs and his stomach, but All for One is also gravely wounded. His wounds are so severe even his Quirks can’t completely save him. All for One is thought to be dead for many years and relies on life support. The fact that Izuku’s father has been absent throughout the storyline might not be as simple as a job transfer, and it might be because he is associated with All for One or actually the villain himself.
11 Izuku’s Quirklessness May Not Be Natural
Midoriya’s Quirk Might Have Been Taken
Quirklessness is very rare in the world of My Hero Academia and only 20% of the population lacks a quirk. The complex nature of quirks and their categories have been explored thoroughly throughout the show. While it works well as a plot point, one cannot help but wonder if its causes may be different from what viewers originally thought. With a villain extracting Quirks in the picture, the situation may be more complex. It wouldn’t have been very difficult for All for One to take his son’s Quirk before it could fully manifest, then claim Izuku was Quirkless all along.
Izuku may have actually had a powerful quirk. In the My Hero Academia universe, if both parents possess a quirk, then the child will naturally have a quirk as well, which was the case for Deku. Another interesting point is that his doctor was Kyudai Garaki, an associate of All for One, and this could mean that he could have been the one to take it as well or deemed Deku quirkless even when he had one. Alternatively, All for One would have known how Izuku would be treated as a Quirkless child, and he may have taken Izuku’s Quirk to encourage him to become a villain.
Midoriya Could Have Inherited His Quirklessness Through All for One’s Parentage
Moreover, Izuku’s Quirklessness might be inherited from his parents, which opens up the theory of All for One being his parent. This is because All for One is a First Generation Quirk user, meaning his parents were quirkless. This information opens the theory of All for One’s offspring having the gene from his quirkless parents, opening the theory of Deku also having it. Quirks are likely to get manifested differently across generations in My Hero Academia‘s universe.
Izuku’s quirklessness is proven by an X-ray of his foot, which points out that he has an extra joint in his pinky toe. This may mean that he was indeed Quirkless, instead of being robbed of his Quirk, like many other characters who lost their quirks, as suggested in the previous theory. However, Quirks are, in the end, all about genetics. Being a First-Generation Quirk user, it would have been very easy for him to pass the gene to Izuku, far easier than a Quirkless child being born out of two parents with Quirks.
9 Doctor Kyudai Garaki’s Presence As Izuku’s Physician Is Suspicious
Garaki is the Right-Hand Man of All for One
At the beginning of the series, Izuku is diagnosed as Quirkless by Doctor Kyudai. While the character seems unimportant at the time, later developments prove this may not be the case. All for One’s doctor, Kyudai Garaki begins to become more and more important, particularly after All for One’s capture. Given that he is closely associated with All for One, he might have had an ulterior motive to deem Deku as quirkless. If he falsely diagnosed Izuku, it could be a way for him to make sure he does not gain his abilities.
While it hasn’t been confirmed that the two characters are the same, the similarity is too obvious to be a coincidence. It’s highly suspicious that Kyudai Garaki would be the one to examine Izuku, and his appearance lends even more credence to the idea that All for One stole Izuku’s original Quirk. With Garaki’s help, it would have been easy for All for One to hide the truth. This makes this theory more concrete, as Garaki’s diagnosis might be to help All for One and his plans to prevent his son from gaining any powerful abilities that his parents possess. However, the theory that Garaki stole Deku’s quirk when he was a kid, seems to be false.
8 The Transformation Of Izuku’s Bullies Into A Nomu May Be Proof
Izuku’s Winged Bully Might be the Winged Nomu
Doctor Kyudai’s grandson, Tsubasa, has little to no information about him other than this theory of him being a part of All for One’s plans. He was part of young Katsuki Bakugou’s group of bullies and the theory of him being a Nomu. This wouldn’t be interesting, but it has been more or less stated that Katsuki’s old friend is actually the Winged Nomu that attacks Izuku after his confrontation with the Hero Killer Stain.
This can be the reason why the Nomu targeted Izuku in the first place, to harm him and people close to him. His connection to Kyudai does make a stronger case, as viewers are aware of Garaki being behind the creation of Nomus. Considering that Katsuki is alive and well, it seems unlikely that All for One would punish a child for bullying his offspring, which leads some fans to wonder if one can create a good Nomu. Still, the connection is relevant to All for One’s possible link to the life of Midoriya.
Inko and Nana Have Similar Features
All Might’s mentor, Nana Shimura, remains one of the most important figures in his life, even years after her death. Inko, Izuku’s mother, might have a connection with her, adding an interesting layer to the character. All Might trusted her and her assistance followed him throughout his years as a hero. He was crushed when he learned that Nana’s grandchild had become the villain, Tomura Shigaraki, twisted by All for One for his evil goals and leading Tomura to do the most ruthless acts in My Hero Academia.
Izuku’s mother, Inko, bears some resemblance to Nana, and in anime or manga, this usually means there is a more deep-rooted connection than fans think. It wouldn’t be out of the question for Nana to have had another relative, and for the two to be related. If that is the case, All for One may have married Inko for the same reason he took Tenko Shimura in – to spite All Might. Hypothetically, if All for One were to marry someone related to Shimura, it would mean he did it to downgrade All Might’s legacy.
6 Izuku’s Ability To Channel One For All Is Uncanny
Midoriya Can Easily Channel One for All Related to All for One
All Might is known to have been a natural with One for All. Having been Quirkless, he used the powerful ability for decades on end. Considering that, one would think that he would be the one to unlock the true potential of the Quirk. And yet, that isn’t what happens. The vestiges of the former users of One for All – all seven quirks – only awaken when Izuku has inherited it. His unlikely potential to unlock One for All might likely be because he is the son of All for One.
Izuku doesn’t appear to have the same natural talent for using One for All that the young Toshinori Yagi demonstrated. Some may argue that he just happened to inherit the Quirk at the right time when the moment came for it to awaken. But there could be an alternate explanation. Once again, it is down to genetics. Izuku may share the DNA of the first two owners of One for All, which are All for One, who originally had it, and his brother, Yoichi Shigaraki. Through this, he may be able to connect to the Quirk in a deeper way than a regular successor.
5 Izuku’s Ability to Use Other Quirks Seamlessly
All for One and Midoriya Can Both Use Several Quirks
Midoriya’s One for All is a quirk that allows people to pass it on to others. Every user enables a layer of strength to it along with abilities. All for One created One for All by forcefully transferring it to his brother, meaning there is a connection between the two abilities. The current wielder of One for All is Midoriya, and he has already displayed his power to enable various other quirks. His capability of accessing multiple quirks gives concrete evidence to the theory that he might be All for One’s child.
All for One can use multiple quirks as well and it can be a genetic influence on Midoriya. Izuku’s ability to seamlessly use other quirks can be explained if this theory is true. He has had visions of past users of One for All, which indicates a spiritual connection, but it also enables him to use the abilities from them. This information seems more inclined to it just being a mere inheritance. His ease of accessing abilities indicates there’s a bigger connection between Midoriya and All for One’s One for All.
4 All For One’s Face Is Never Properly Shown
Hisashi and All for One’s Faces Have Never Been Revealed
Throughout most of the series, All for One’s face is never shown at all. He is mutilated beyond recognition, and his whole face is a mass of scar tissue, due to his various battles with heroes, especially All Might. Interestingly enough, even after Izuku starts having visions of All for One’s younger self, his face isn’t clear. It is clouded in red smoke, with many of its distinctive features hidden. All for One’s hidden face might be a metaphor for his hidden past and it’s difficult for fans to make out what his emotions are.
Hisashi Midoriya’s face is never shown either. There aren’t any pictures of him in the apartment Inko and Izuku live in. The two facts, put together, form a rather suspicious picture. There may be a resemblance between Izuku and All for One that isn’t immediately obvious. Along with his face, All for One also hides his relationships, which could also involve Izuku. If Hisashi is All for One, this could explain why both the characters have never been visually seen in the anime.
3 Kohei Horikoshi is a Huge Fan of Star Wars
Parallels Between Luke and Deku Are Highly Likely
It’s no secret that the creator of the series, Kohei Horikoshi, is a huge fan of Star Wars. He has even created art dedicated to it and has enthused over The Mandalorian on more than one occasion. This is highly relevant, as taking the plot of Star Wars into account, one can see distinct similarities and possible connections to Deku’s parentage. There are several inspirations taken from the hit series, My Hero Academia.
All for One is like Darth Vader, down to the mask he wears. Meanwhile, Izuku’s determination and his struggle to become a hero are reminiscent of Luke Skywalker’s journey and his strong sense of justice. Vader was a fallen hero who had turned to the dark side, which is similar to how All for One, who was a noble figure and corrupted by power. All Might could easily be Obi-Wan, with Gran Torino acting as Yoda. This might lead to the ultimate conclusion and the great reveal: Izuku will eventually have to face All for One and will learn the evil villain is his father, just like Luke did.
2 All for One’s Hesitation to Harm Midoriya
He is Reluctant About Hurting Izuku and His Friends
This theory might be the closest thing to proving All for One is related to Midoriya. All for One has time and again showcased his hesitation to attack Deku, even when he could easily do so. For instance, the Kamino Ward instance had All for One focusing solely on All Might instead of Deku, when he was also present there. During the Paranormal Liberation War arc, All for One expressed similar hesitation to attack Deku and his friends, when they were in danger.
If All for One is actually Midoriya’s father, this would explain why he has this tendency to hold back on him. This could lead to All for One, although hidden and not acknowledged, being reluctant to attack his own son. All for One also has the desire to control Deku, which could be a problem if he is harmed. By staying away from Midoriya’s friends, it could potentially mean a way for All for One to have his son focus on himself rather than any personal losses.
1 Midoriya and All for One Have Similar Thinking Skills
Both of Them Possess Similar Analytical Skills
Izuku and All for One share one key similar trait, which is their analytical thinking skills. Midoriya always notes down all the heroes he comes across to be aware of their quirks and further improve his skills. He also has analytical skills for the smallest to the biggest things that happen around him. Midoriya showcased his high-level of intelligence and combat awareness, which is quite similar to All for One, leading to the theory that perhaps genes played a part here.
As for All for One, he thinks three steps ahead of others and has great analytical thinking as well. He plans his steps carefully and can manipulate other heroes. All for One also has in-depth knowledge of quirks and how to work them against the heroes. The fact that both Izuku and All for One possess similar character traits raises questions about their genes being the same.